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Background: Hospital preparedness for accidents like fires is essential because fire outbreaks in healthcare settings can occur anytime and require quick responses. Therefore, this study assessed the knowledge of fire safety and emergency preparedness among healthcare workers, as well as the predictors of knowledge of fire safety and emergency preparedness among healthcare workers. Methods: An institutional-based descriptive cross-sectional online survey was employed to assess knowledge of fire safety and emergency preparedness among 257 healthcare workers from three hospitals in the Kunene region. Both descriptive and inferential statistics were carried out using STATA version 18. Frequencies and percentages were used in the descriptive statistics and Pearson's chi square test, correlation analysis and logistic regression were adapted for the inferential statistics. The statistical significance level was set at p-value ≤ 0.05 at 95% confidence interval. Results: The study observed that 72.76% of the healthcare workers lack adequate level of knowledge concerning emergency preparedness while 73.15% of healthcare workers lack sufficient knowledge regarding fire safety. The findings further indicated that there is a strong relationship (r = 0.992) between fire safety knowledge and emergency preparedness among healthcare workers. The study findings also shows that gender (< 0.0001), and place of work (< 0.0001) were associated with knowledge of fire safety and emergency preparedness. Male participants were more likely to have adequate knowledge of fire safety (aOR: 3.74; 95%CI: 2.016 – 6.950) and emergency preparedness (aOR: 3.64; 95%CI: 1.956 – 6.756) compared to females. The healthcare workers at Khorixas district hospital had lower odds (aOR: 0.354; 95%CI: 0.173 – 0.724) of having adequate knowledge of emergency preparedness compared to those working at the Opuwo hospital. Conclusion: The majority of the studied healthcare professionals did not have adequate knowledge regarding emergency preparedness. Addressing the gaps in fire safety knowledge and preparedness among healthcare workers is critical to ensuring a safe healthcare environment. By implementing targeted training programs and safety protocols, healthcare facilities can significantly enhance their emergency response capabilities, ultimately safeguarding both staff and patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction/Aims: Anaemia is the most severe pregnancy-related hematological condition globally and affects approximately 32.4 million pregnant women. This study's aim was to identify factors influencing anaemia in pregnancy at 36 weeks in the Wa municipality. Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among 410 pregnant women. The participants' haemoglobin levels and obstetric variables were extracted from antenatal record books. Data were analysed using multivariate binary logistics regression analysis to determine risk factors associated with anaemia in pregnancy at 36 weeks. Results: The prevalence of anaemia at 36 weeks was 81.5%. Predictors included no previous use of family planning methods, paragravidity, low dietary diversity and an average monthly income of <1000 Ghanaian Cedi. Conclusions: The prevalence of anaemia at 36 weeks was high. Preventive interventions targeting preconception nutrition and promoting regular antenatal care visits throughout pregnancy are urgently required. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Meningitis is a fatal condition and survivors often face long-term effects and often burdened their families. It is therefore important to understand how families cope with the aftermath of the infection. This study examined the experiences of families of meningitis patients and survivors in Ghana's Upper West Region to support public health interventions. The researchers employed a Giorgi phenomenological qualitative method to conduct the study between March and April 2023. Data were collected from 40 facilities and four District Health Directorates. Sixteen participants, including survivors and parents, were selected from meningitis linelists. The study employed content analysis, with a coding system revealing five main themes. Inter-coder reliability was checked, and peer debriefing was used to ensure credibility. The study identified five main challenges: reduced productivity, inability to perform labor-intensive work, financial strain on households, psychological trauma, and the impact of social support. These experiences highlight the subjective nature of post-meningitis challenges and are consistent with existing literature. Meningitis survivors and their families face physical, emotional, and financial challenges, which can have long-term impacts. However, social support plays a crucial role in resilience and recovery. The study recommends that health institutions establish follow-up programs to monitor long-term effects on survivors., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright: © 2024 Punguyire et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.)

Introduction: Perinatal mortality is a major public health issue in sub-Saharan Africa, with Ghana experiencing consistently high rates. This poses challenges for achieving the maternal and child health-related sustainability development goals by 2030. While some studies have explored factors behind perinatal mortality in Ghana, a comprehensive analysis considering multifactorial predictors remains absent. This scoping review, guided by Anderson's framework of healthcare utilisation, aims to address this. The primary objective is to map the predictors of perinatal mortality in Ghana using Anderson's framework. It aims to identify interpersonal, social structural and health beliefs as predisposing factors; evaluate access to healthcare, social support and health literacy as enabling factors; and outline maternal and foetal conditions as need factors, concluding with identified knowledge gaps., Methods and Analysis: The Cochrane handbook for systematic reviews of interventions will be used to guide the conduct of this review. Four main electronic databases, PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus and Cumulative Index for Nursing and Allied Health Literature, will be searched. Eligible studies will be charted and synthesised, focussing on Anderson's primary domains: predisposing factors, enabling factors and need factors. Studies published in the English language from January 2000 to June 2024 will be included in the study to cover the most recent factors associated with perinatal mortality in Ghana., Ethics and Dissemination: This review will rely on already published peer-reviewed articles and therefore will not require ethical approval. The review results will be disseminated through peer-reviewed scientific publications and annual health services review conferences in Ghana., Prospero Registration Number: CRD42024564968., Competing Interests: Competing interests: None declared., (© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2024. Re-use permitted under CC BY-NC. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.)